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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Wraithdrit" data-source="post: 812366" data-attributes="member: 10820">Session 4 Continued...Meanwhile within the Zhentarim fortifications, about half an hour earlier.... Captain Argah strode from the commander's office. Lt Grendar, a fairly impressive half-orc wearing the black full plate emblazoned with the Zhentarim's badge on his left shoulder, was waiting for him. The half-orc fell into step with the human captain who wore matching armor. The half-orc spoke first, "Well? What did she say?""We are finally going after them." The captain never faltered in his step, even as they entered the large central chamber of the mine. He called out to the first servant he saw, "Saddle our horses." He motioned between himself and the half-orc. "Then summon Bergosh." The servant nodded and rushed off.The half-orc grinned, "Captain Bergosh will be glad that he and his tribe members will be able to avenge the blood of their fallen."The captain stopped dead in his tracks and spun on the half-orc. "Get this straight, and quickly, lieutenant. We are eliminating a threat, not pandering to our lesser minions wishes."The half-orc snapped to attention, "Yes, Sir!"The captain nodded, then sighed slightly, "At ease, lieutenant. Sorry, did not mean to take that out on you. Its just the commander has ordered us to take Xandos, his apprentice, and the woodsman with us." The contempt the military man felt for the added baggage was obvious.The half-orc tried to soften the anger his captain was feeling. "The woodsman's tigers could be useful, Sir, and we know they have arcane mages with them, they proved that just outside of Dagger Falls.""Yes, I know. But the last thing I want is Xandos' mount giving away our position." "The bat is fairly quiet, sir. Besides, we have no way of knowing if they are at the camp still, in the temple, or even in the city.""They are still in the city, lieutenant. I can assure you of that. In fact, I guarantee you they are still in the temple.""Of course sir." The half-orc knew when to stop argueing. The sounds of leather and metal, clinking over and over again, as well as the ackward sounds of something flopping about signaled the arrival of the captain's least favorite member of the Zhentarim forces.Xandos walked in, his robes, dangling with fetishes and scroll cases, a wand sheathed at his side, leading his mount, a massive dire bat. The creature half flopped, half hopped along the ground, its harness rattling as it moved. "Greetings captain. I hear we are going hunting."Captain Argah nodded, "Indeed skymage, we are. Is your apprentice ready?" A voice from beside Xandos said, "I'm here, captain." The captain scowled. The apprentice was invisible. That would make for a wonderful random variable. He made a note not to get choked up if he got caught in a cross fire. "Good." The growl that came from a side passage caught everyone's attention and they turned to see a massive pair of tigers padding out of the gloom of the corridor. A young fellow with dark hair, and matching dark clothes followed the tigers in. Attached to his belt was a scourge and a long sword. The backs of the tigers were marred with scaring from the scourge."Greetings Cap." The youth grinned darkly as he strode up. As a scout he was outside the normal Zhentarim chain of command. He reported only to the commander. The captain scowled, if any of his men dared call him 'Cap', he would have had them beaten. "What's our prey?""A group of four. They left Dagger Falls a few days ago, and came straight here. They have run into and destroyed two of our patrols, so far. If it was not for Tursa's escape we would not even know their capabilities. They have a dwarven warrior, a halfling scout, an elven warrior, and a young human wizard adept at dispelling magic. We know they have passed through the Thayan camp, killing all of them. They are now in the mines." The Captain paused as the smell of the unwashed hit him. Captain Bergosh had arrived. The immense orc settled into a chair and growled, "These are the ones that kill my brethren?""Aye. They are... so this is how it is going to go down. Xandos, you will fly air support, if anything happens-"The Skymage interrupted him, "Do not forget whom you are talking to Captain. You command your troops, I will support your units. Beyond that, I will do as I please. Do not forget your place."Captain Argah's nostrils flared and he swallowed his anger before continueing. Argueing back with a Zhentarim mage as high ranked and Xandos was a quick way to end his career. He went on with the briefing, "Bergosh... you and your ... 'men', will split up into two flanking units. Myself, the lieutenant, the woodsman, and two of our men will make up the center column.""When we get to the Thayan camp, Bergosh, you and your men will stay outside. Woodsman, your team will go inside. You have been assigned two of my best men, and Xandos' apprentice. You will enter the temple complex and seek out these interlopers and engage them. You will then retreat towards the exit. Bergosh, your men will ambush them as they leave the temple complex."The human captain looked at the woodsman a moment. "You have twelve hours in the temple. Should you fail to report back in that amount of time..." he turned to look at the orc captain, "you are to collapse the front hall of the temple.""What about the book sir?" This was from his lieutenant."The Commander says the book will wait. We know where the key to the crypts are. We can go back to business as usual till we are confident they have starved to death. Then we continue where we left off. Everyone clear on your orders?"A chorus of 'ayes' went around the group and they moved to prepare their troops and be underway.The woodsman tapped Lt Grendar on the shoulder after the captain had strode off. "You know if this goes bad, you'll be the first to go." The half-orc stiffened and snarled a bit, showing a bit of fang. "But don't worry lieutenant, when I get back here I will tell the commander you died valiantly.""Coward... you would flee a battle?" "Faster than you can say 'My mother didn't know when to keep an orc out of her pants.'" The woodsman turned and started to walk off. He stopped and looked over his shoulder. "I'm not one of you, half-orc. I'm not a lamb blindly following the wrong man into battle. Captain Argah is a fool, and you are a fool to follow him. No one has faced these four and lived except for Tursa, and that fey'ri wench is slippery. The commander wants to know more about their forces, so she is sending her most bull headed troops to die, in hopes I can learn something more about what we are up against. I know I can get out of there if need be. Can you?""I would never flee a battle." The lieutenant puffed up a bit, his wounded pride evident. "Exactly. Lambs to the slaughter."</blockquote>

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